Lane Kiffin makes major recruiting stride as Ole Miss lands elite three-star safety to the class of 2026

Nassir “Nascar” McCoy, a three-star safety from Buford High School in Georgia, has committed to the Ole Miss Rebels. McCoy made his decision public on Friday during a livestreamed ceremony, choosing Lane Kiffin’s program over Georgia, Michigan, Miami and Texas A&M.

McCoy is 6-foot-2, weighs 180 pounds and is ranked as the No. 39 safety in the country. He’s also considered one of the top 500 players overall in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports. He became the fifth defensive back in the Rebels’ 2026 class, joining Craig Tutt, Iverson McCoy, Jett Goldsberry and Braylen Williams.

McCoy’s affinity to Ole Miss grew strong after he visited Oxford on his birthday on Mar. 22.

“Ole Miss really made a later move for me,” McCoy told Rivals on Saturday. “They have always recruited me, and they recruited me hard, so after the official visit, they moved up a lot for me. Oxford is a great place with great people and it is a small town like Buford. "It reminds me of home. Oxford is a small town, it is a loving place and it just feels right for me.”

McCoy told Kiffin about his decision during a visit in June. He also built strong relationships with safeties coach Wes Neighbors and defensive coordinator Pete Golding.

“Coach Neighbors is a great coach. He knows safeties, he knows SEC football, and we have a great relationship,” McCoy said. “Coach Golding is the mastermind behind the Ole Miss defense. He coached under Nick Saban, he is very smart and I love the scheme. "Coach Lane Kiffin and I have a great relationship. We have talked about a lot of things, we play pickleball when I am down there and he is an exciting head coach to play for."

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Nassir McCoy is excited to get started with Lane Kiffin’s program

Comparing Ole Miss’ environment to that of his high school, Nassir McCoy said on Saturday, via On3:

“Ole Miss is a lot like Buford. They are very competitive with each other. They compete every day and make each other better. The players at Ole Miss compete with the 10 guys you go on the field with and I love that. I am a workhorse and I want to come in and help the team win. "I am determined, I love to work and I can’t wait to get to work in their system. At Ole Miss, I can come in and be a guy for them. It is the right fit for me with their development, their system and how it will show my talent.”

With McCoy’s commitment, Lane Kiffin's program now has 15 players in its 2026 recruiting class.

Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos